Early voting sites rejected by Tarrant County Commissioners Court

On Tuesday morning, 350 voting poll locations for this year’s general election were approved on a vote 3-1 vote.

The voting sites will be open on Election Day however, according to Tarrant County Elections Chief, Clinton Ludwig, there is a greater need during the 12 days of early voting.

“In an effort to reduce lines and process voters we try to get early voting locations to help with that,” Ludwig said.

Ludwig proposed a list of 50 early voting locations that included TCU and UT Arlington campuses.

“We budget for estimation purposes about 10,000 a location,” Ludwig said.

County Judge Tim O'hare argued to have fewer early voting locations due to proximity, taxpayer money, staffing as well as concerns that it could allegedly favor one party over the other.

“I believe having UTA and Arlington Courthouse less than a mile from each other is a waste of money and manpower,” O’Hare said.

When O’Hare asked Ludwig how many locations are needed to meet the demand ahead of Election Day, Ludwig said, “As many as we can get, if we want to process voters in a timely manner and not have long lines and inconvenience.”

O’Hare also argued that sites including TCU and UTA may not be the best location for early voters due to parking costs and permits required at some campuses.

“They don't seem terribly accessible to the public,” O’hare said.

“At UTA, they reserve parking spaces,” Ludwig said. “The only place I do know where they have to pay is the Plaza, but we validate that parking.”

Ludwig insisted the location sites at universities have been successful. He also said it has been a challenge to find sites that are willing to participate.

“Finding early voting locations is a struggle because of the 12 days that is required and the hours,” Ludwig said. “A lot of the locations do not want to be early voting locations.”

Commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roy Brooks supported Ludwig’s position, challenging the O’hare’s intention.

“To eliminate them, I think, would be an act of voter suppression,” Brooks said.

“Access is the issue here, and it is the responsibility of this commissioners court to make voting accessible to all of the public,” Simmons said.

While no changes to early voting locations were made today, commissioners could revisit the issue before early voting begins.

Commissioners also approved increasing pay for election judges and poll workers. Elections judges will be paid $18 an hour and poll workers $15 an hour.

While a step in the right direction, Simmons said more needs to be done as their counterparts in Dallas County pay election judges at least $24 an hour.